Delta Delta Delta - Cornell University

Cornell Alpha Beta Alumnae Alpha Beta Data Happy Fall to Alpha Betas Everywhere T o our sisters at Cornell University and to those across the world who are in school or shepherding young children, teenagers, or young adults through the start of school... congratulations! You made it through the start of the 2017-18 school year! Here's to another year of adventure, challenges, productive learning, mind-stretching, and working to make our world a better place. If you visited the Chapter House for our June reunion or during Homecoming, we hope you have seen some positive changes! The front landscaping has been beautified and should help manage the water and drainage issues the Chapter House has been facing. The interior has seen some updated painting and continued maintenance by our outstanding partners, including Dave Ruff and his team. We've been navigating city inspections, ensuring fire safety for the sisters and house manager, and continue to balance maintenance of our lovely historic house with our budget. Be sure to take a peek in the living room and check out the new furniture. We hope this space is a welcoming, comfortable spot for our undergraduates and alumnae. This year, Alpha Beta welcomed our new house director, Sheila Ryan. She is a wonderful addition to 118 Triphammer Road and has already demonstrated support and accountability in her role. The house officers who interviewed and selected Sheila for the position feel she is a perfect fit for the Chapter House and its culture. For those who may be unaware, Cornell inaugurated Martha Pollack, its 14th president this year. Martha's welcoming statements to students on the opening day of school are worth repeating: "It's going to be a busy and exciting year for Cornell as we work together to shape the university's future; a future with limitless potential, grounded in our enduring commitment to diversity and inclusion that is the legacy of Ezra Cornell's and Andrew Dickson White's founding principle of '…any person…any study.' My hope is that we can come together as a community, committed to supporting one another and unified in rejecting hatred, bigotry and supremacy. There are so many forms of bigotry – sexism, racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism and, unfortunately, more. We must repudiate them all and thereby demonstrate what it means to be a place where 'any person' is welcome." A tremendous thank-you to Robin Secord '85, who leads the property committee, and her team for their tireless and thoughtful work this year! If you know Robin, be sure to send her a note of thanks at rsecord1@verizon.net. You should also connect with her if you are considering joining the property committee. New committee members are welcome at any point during the year! Thank you to the outstanding committee members and House Corporation board who help us keep the lights on at our beautiful Chapter House. Special thanks to Terry Petracca '76, our treasurer and head of the finance committee, who has been meticulous in helping us navigate ongoing expenses of keeping the house in shape against the performance of our investments and our budget. Please email her at terry.petracca@dollarshaveclub.com if you are interested in helping out the finance committee. Special thanks to Marianne Passarelli '82, who captures our conversations as the board secretary and will also lead our nominating committee work this year. We have some busy, busy alumnae who have had to step away from our board and we're always seeking interested alumnae to fill those seats. If you are curious, please feel free to reach out to Marianne at marianne.passarelli@yale.edu. Enjoy the shortening of days and lengthening of nights over the next few weeks. May it bring you time for reflection, moments to revel in the comfort of your family and friends, and peace. Delta Love, Heather R. Britt '93 House Corporation President heather.rae.britt@gmail.com Fall 2017

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